Elizabeth F. Ahlstrand

Associate

Elizabeth F. Ahlstrand concentrates her practice on complex civil and commercial litigation. She regularly represents insurers on a national basis in complex litigation involving first and third-party coverage disputes with allegations of bad faith and unfair claim settlement practices. She has experience in all lines of insurance, including commercial property, life and general liability policies. Elizabeth also has significant commercial litigation experience, particularly in the areas of products liability and life sciences, and she regularly defends sport and recreational facilities, such as ski areas, ice skating rinks and race car tracks, in suits alleging catastrophic losses.

Elizabeth also has extensive experience in the area of appellate advocacy. She has presented appeals to numerous state and federal courts and has argued successfully before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to joining Seiger Gfeller Laurie LLP, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable Ellen Ash Peters, retired Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court.

Elizabeth has published on various insurance coverage topics including the “notice-prejudice rule” and the allocation of defense costs in long latency loss cases. Elizabeth is a member of the American, Connecticut, and Hartford County Bar Associations as well as several other professional associations relevant to her practice, including the Association of Professional Insurance Women. She is also actively involved in her community through a variety of pro bono work, in addition to civic and professional activities.

Recently, Elizabeth received a special faculty appointment to serve on the University of Connecticut Health Center’s Institutional Review Board. Elizabeth was named a Rising Star in the Connecticut edition of Super Lawyers for both 2010 and 2011.

Practice Areas

Education

Colby College, B.A., magna cum laude
University of Connecticut School of Law, high honors

Admitted to Practice

Connecticut
New York
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
United States District Court, District of Connecticut

Professional Affiliations

Connecticut Bar Association
Hartford County Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Association of Professional Insurance Women
Vermont Captive Insurance Association

Publications/Speaking

Co-Author, “Why Specialized or ‘Industry’ Lawyers Effectively Handle Appeals,” Certworthy, Vol. 12, Issue 2, October 15, 2010.
Co-Author, "Just How Late is Too Late," CT Law Tribune, November, 2009. (PDF)

Civic Activities

Mentor, Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters
Public Relations Chair, Greater Hartford Junior League
Member, University of Connecticut Institutional Review Board

Networking

Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn